My only doubt is his lack of size. Dependent where you look he is either 5'10" or 6'0". To be a world class backrower I think you need to be >6'0". Possibly a move to the front row will be his destiny a la Andy Platt.

Makes you think about how the club is now. Under previous regimes Liam would have probably been shipped out after a relatively quiet second season and replaced by a 30+ year old on a lot more money, but we're now reaping the awards from a more considered, long term planning approach.

Paul Gallen is world class, whether that is Loose Forward, second row or prop and he is less than 6'0" and certainly no bigger than Farrell. I certainly see similarities between the two in terms of their engines, strength and all round work rate.

Surely that's pound for pound? Spencer is the one who seems to hold the records in strength tests.

The difference between the 2 at the moment is about 2 stones.

Farrell is the strongest player at Wigan. This is a fact.

Therefore, your arguement is flawed.

There seems some debate on that point, however if you think being a world class back row is who can lift the heaviest weight then sign up Geoff Capes.

Based on your earlier quote you seem to think that it's weight that dictates whether he can become a world class back rower.

Based on that I'm wondering if it be worth signing up someone who seems to spend most of their time sat behind a keyboard and probably gets no exercise other than moving their fingers around in a variety if ways.

Any ideas?

I know this is probably a bit much for your little brain to comprehend (you might want to ask your physics teacher), RL forward play is about power - speed, strength & weight combined. Farrell is a great club player who might develop into an international player, he has all the qualities apart from size.

What do the following world class players have in common?
A Farrell, Scully, Sam Burgess, Betts, Ellis, Morley?
The only other player I could think of in the L Farrell mould is JJB, another great club player & fringe international but not world class. Andy Platt is the same height as Farrell but developed into one of the best props in the world at well over 16 stones.

Choc Watmough is the same height and build as Farrell.

Never did him any harm.

Trevor Gillmeister. He wasn't a bad lad, was he?

I was under the impression that he was mimicking the reductio ad absurdum you presented over strength, with size.

I think the point was that [iyou[/i ignored compensatory virtues; ie Farrell makes up for his lack of height with strength, and presumably as he ages he'll match the likes of Gallen and Watmough too in size. He also makes up for it with good positioning, workrate, vision, skill etc.

So yes, his height and weight are a flaw at the moment, but no one factor renders the rest moot, no one factor will be a total inhibition to being a class player.